ANOTHER two Ribbon/Oar fish have been washed up along the North East Coast.

One was at Hauxley beach on Monday of this week and the other was found dead on Tuesday morning on the rocks on the north side of Tynemouth pier by a woman walking her dog.

She telephoned the Blue Reef Aquarium, who came down and collected it and identified it as a Ribbon/Oar Fish.

The Tynemouth specimen was over three metres long and in 'near perfect' condition.

The aquarists at the Blue Reef think that the fish could still have been alive when it was washed up on to the rocks.

This species is a deep-water creature, living in depths of up to one kilometre, and is normally found in the Atlantic and Mediterranean.

Their diet consists mainly of plankton, small crustaceans and small squid. One of these fish was found on the beach at Hauxley around three weeks ago.

This makes me wonder just how many have been washed up and have not been seen or found. Why they should suddenly appear in the North Sea, I don’t know.

:: SHORE sport is still mainly with flounders and very little else. There are reports of a few whiting at night from Blyth, South Shields and Roker piers with small codling in the River Tyne.

Even boats are catching very little. I am told that six private boats, out of the Wear, had as bad sport as the shore angler with one fish – a 2lb cod – being caught.

Club competition results show just how bad the fishing is at the moment.

The Newbiggin SAC had 11 rods out – three weighed in. First was Steve Nesbitt with two fish for 1lb 5oz. Second was Billy Foster with one fish for 7½oz. Third was Alan Beddow with one fish for 5½oz.

Longbenton SAC had over 30 rods out, of which only one weighed in a fish of 11oz.

Cleadon SAC had 23 rods out and two weighed in. First was Jamie Brennan with one cod from Marsden for 3lb 4oz. Second was Norman Spour with one fish from Whitburn for 1lb 9oz.

At Amble SAC, Andy Lee was first with five fish for 3lb 15oz. Second was Tony Cook with five fish for 3lb 8oz. Third was Jimmy French with two fish for 2lb 2½oz, including the HSF of 1lb 9¼oz. Fourth was Ian Harrogate with four fish for 2lb ¾oz. All catches were flounders from Warkworth.

Seaton Sluice SAC had 32 rods out in their Sweepstake Match. First was Tony Stanford with two fish from Amble for 7lb 3½oz. He also had the HSF of 4lb 1oz.

Also fishing Amble was Steven Potts, who came second with one fish for 2lb 1oz. Third was Gary Pye with one fish from the Beacons for 2lb.